Sclerorhynchus

Name: Sclerorhynchus ‭(‬hard snout‭)‬.
Phonetic: Scler-o-rin-kuss.
Named By: Woodwood‭ ‬-‭ ‬1889.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Chondrichthyes,‭ ‬Elasmobranchii,‭ ‬Batoidea,‭ ‬Sclerorhynchoidea,‭ ‬Sclerorhynchidae.
Species: S.‭ ‬atavus‭ (‬type‭)‬.‭ ‬Possibly also S.‭ ‬karakensis and S.‭ ‬pettersi.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Up to‭ ‬1‭ ‬meter long.
Known locations: USA and the Middle East.
Time period: Late Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Several specimens.

       Sclerorhynchus was in essence an ancient sawfish.‭ ‬The snout was long and specialised teeth projected out from the sides.‭ ‬This snout was probably the primary feeding aid in uncovering buried invertebrates like shell fish which could then be eaten by the mouth which was on the underside of‭ ‬the head.‭ ‬There has been some speculation that the genus Ganopristis may be the same as Sclerorhynchus.

Further reading
-‭ ‬Catalogue of the Fossil Fishes in the British Museum‭ (‬Natural History‭) ‬Part‭ ‬1‭ ‬1-613. - ‬A.‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Woodward - 1889..

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